Evaporator



April 7, 1925. I 1,532,303

. w. w. COZZENS EVAPORATOR Fild De?:. 4-, 192.2 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

' A ORNEYS.

' Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES 21,532,303 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. COZZENS, OF SAN JOSE, GALHORNIA.

nvaromroa.

Application filed December 4, 1922. Serial No. 604,879.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, WILLIAM W.'CozzENs, a citizen of the United States, and a resi-.

.dent of San Jose,.' county of Santa Clara,

one function, it being apparent that the same device may be used in other connections. The particular object of the: invention is to provide an evaporator of the character described in which the air current can be readily regulated so as to pass over the fruit to be dried in different directions and to thereby insure an even drying of the fruit. A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the air current can be deflected from its natural course and guided over those portions of the fruit containers which normally would not be subjected to suflicient draft to dry as quickly as fruit disposed in other portions. A further object ofthe invention is to'provide means for reheating the air currents at an intermediate station. so as to enable the same to absorb further moisture durin the continuation of their travel. It is furt er proposed to pro- 'drier and Flgure vide special means allowing the fruit to be inspected during the drying process without I seriously interfering with the drying operation. Other objects and advantages of the device will appear as the specification proceeds.

With these objects in view I have shown the preferred form of my invention in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of the drier showing the position of the various parts constituting the same, Figure 2 a cross section through the drier along line II-II of Figure 1, Figure 3 a side elevation of a portion of the 4 a detail view in longitudinal section of a car used with the same. While I haveshown only the preferred form of the invention I wish to have it understood that variouschanges or-modifications may bemade within the scope ofthe claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of-the invention.

My drier (1) is illustrated in Figure 1 as c mpr sing a l ge buil ing (.2) p efer ly rectly of wo0d and as containing four different units (3, 4, 6 and 7) each two units arranged in parallel relation forming one set. The two sets are arranged in longitudinal alignment. It should be understood that each unit may be used by itself, the arrangement .shown in Figure 1 being particularly adapted for larger plants. Tracks (8 and 9) extend throughout the building along side of the dryin sections and cars (11), one of which is s own in Figure 4 are adapted to be moved back and forth on those tracks.

These cars are of standard make and in common use and need no further description. They are provided with transverse tracks (12) on which are supported cars (13) and which'can be made to re 'ster with any of the transverse tracks (14 leading into the drying sections. The trays (16) on which the fruit to be dried is spread are stacked onthe latter cars and held in spaced relation to each other by means of suitable spacin members (17). The interior por-' t1on o the drier is adapted to be separated from the remainder by means of drop doors (18) sliding in posts (19) and counterbalanced by any When the doors are closed a central tunnel from one end of the building to the other and in which the drying operation takes place. g

e To dry the fruit quickly I provide a furnace (23) at either end. The heated air risin from the furnace is passed through the ue (24) into the blower (26) which latter is driven by a motor (27) or any other suitable means. The blower discharges diinto the'dryingtunnels, the shields (28) and the end baflies (29) guiding the air directly to the cars on which the fruit is stacked. A swinging deflector (31.) is provided for determining the direction of the air currents. central position the air will pass through both sides of the. tunnel in equal quantities, but when the deflector is swung into one of its extreme positions it shuts ofl one of the sides and forces the air to pass through the other side. Considering the first two parallel units by themselves and the communibetween these and the next units as cation being closed the air currents will be/turned suitable means to facilitate, their handling as by the counter-weights As thiagate is disposed in its.

Doors (34) are provided between the two sets of (1 ing units and when these' doors are en the air currents arecause to travel from one end of the tunnel to the other along one side, each of the two blowers supplying one side with heated air when in the tunnel for doors (42) within the main doors. If

' introduced into currents. If the drier is of considerable length I preferably provide a steam or hot water heater 36) in the central portion of the drier whie serves to reheat the air currents and to allow the same to absorb further moisture.

It has been found by experience thatfruit stacked in the manner herein described and subjected to air currents in a tunnel is a t to dry more uickly near the ends ofv t e trays than in t e central portion of the same due to the fact that the air currents pass more freely over the end portions. .Suitable means should therefore be provided to avoid this feature and to cause an even drying of the fruit which is essential for the attainment of ood results. For this purpose I provide aflies (38) between the cars which extend from the posts (19) and from posts (39) disposed along thecenter line of the drier into the s es between the cars so as to force the air currents to pass between the trays rather than around the same. These aflies are referably provided with shutters '(41) w ich are" ad3ustable by means not shown and which allow the flow of the air currents to be regulated.

For the inspection of the fruit durin the drying operation I providev small siding the former are opened the operator is in a osition to view the fruit or to take some of it from the trays for tion.

It is desirable sometimes to turnthe fruit end for end to insure an even eva oration and for this purposeI provide suita 1e turn tables (44) which allow the whole car to be turned end for end.

Claims 1. An evaporator of the character described comprising a tunnel having a plurality of tracks transversely arranged therein and in' spaced relation alongthe tunnel, a plurality of cars on the tracks having tiers of fruit trays thereon adapted to be the tunnel through doors along theside thereof, means for blowing heated air through the tunnel and means positioned adjacent the ends of the cars ing the heated air toward the cars.

preferably the purpose of inspec-.

controllably deflect- 2; Anievaporator of thecharacter deends of the-cars when in the 3. An evaporator of the character described comprising two sets of tunnels, the tunnels of each set bein substantially arallel one to the other an the sets being ongitudinally aligned. and the tunnels in each set each other at both ends, versel arranged tracks in each tunnel spa i substantially along the len h of the tunnels, doors along the sides oft e tunnels for admitting fruit carrying cars to any of said'tracks, a source of heated air at the remote ends of each set of tunnels and means for forcing the heated air toward adjacent ends of the sets, and vents dis d near the center of the sets for permittlng the air to p 4. An evaporator of the character described comprising two sets being open to a plurality of transallel one to the other and the sets being longitudinally aligned in abutting relation,

remote ends of for selectively blowing the heated air from opposite remote ends of the tunnels toward their abutting ends or of guiding the air straight through two of the abutting tunnels in one direction and through the other two in the opposite direction.

5. In a structure as defined in claim 4, means at the abutting ends of the tunnels of tunnels, the tunnels of each set being substantially par in abutting relation, 7

the tunnels, a source of heated air at the each, set cooperating means for reheating the air passing therethrough.

6. In an. evaporator of the character described, a tunnel having tracks arranged transversely therein and spaced substantially along the len h of the tunnel, doors along the side of t e tunnel to admit cars to any of the'tracks and smaller doors within said doors for testingpurposes.

WILLIAM W. COZZENS.

a plurality of 

